When Your Life Was Low
by LadiJ
Summary: Mercedes and Sam were best friends and lovers in a time when Sam was going through a rough time. She was his rock, and always there for him. After graduation, their paths took them in separate directions, and they drifted apart. How can this chance meeting dictate their life from this point on. Inspired by the song When Your Life Was Low by Lalah Hathaway & Joe Sample
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, LadiJ here with this story that popped into my head after hearing this song When Your Life Was Low by Lalah Hathaway and Joe Sample. I fell in love with this song, and I couldn't stop listening to it. And of course my Samcedian brain thought it was a perfect story for them. I really suggest you guys listen to the song when it comes up in the story to get the feel of it, and the emotions it brings, it makes it that much better. The idea wouldn't leave me alone, so I had to write it, but don't worry I am back to writing As I See It (Ever After) and hope to have an update to you before the weekend is over….HOPEFULLY! Anyway, this story is only betaed by me, I wanted to give my wonderful beta a break and a surprise, I hope she likes this. Enough rambling, as always Happy Reading!**

 **Much Love**

 *****DISCLAIMER*** I don't own anything mentioned in this story. Please excuse any mistakes, I am only human**

 _ **Chapter 1**_

November 12, 2006

Mercedes and Sam were sitting in their apartment, just enjoying a moment of peace and quiet. It was a rare occasion that both of them were home at the same time, but they were going to take advantage of it. She ordered chinese food, and they sat and watched some movies.

"You know MJ, you didn't have to buy dinner tonight, I had it." Sam stated while popping a eggroll in his mouth.

"I know Sam, but I wanted to do it, and besides, I told you, I want you to save all your money for your tuition. I got this." She smiled, sipping on her water. "You have too much on you, and I am not going to add to the weight when I don't have too. Now don't even try to fight me on this, because you know how stubborn I am."

He raised his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, you win, I'll just say thank you and eat my food."

Sam loved this woman before him, she was his rock, and he needed her a lot lately. Things in his life were not going as planned for him. When he was accepted into Georgetown University, he thought he had the help of his parents, and he did for his freshman year. He lived on campus, had a car, and a beautiful girlfriend named Sasha. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met in his life, and they were so in love and happy. Everything seemed perfect in his world, till one day he got a call from his dad, letting him know that they were not going to be able to help with college anymore, because he lost his job, and his mother was barely hanging on to hers. That was the hardest conversation his dad ever had to have with his son, and he knew it was a strong possibility that Sam might have to drop out of school, which he never wanted him to do. Sam couldn't lie, that was a thought that ran through his mind several times, but it was Mercedes that always talked him off the ledge. She was his best friend, from the first day they met at Georgetown, they just had a connection that was like no other. They kept their relationship platonic, because she always respected his relationship with Sasha. Once Sam decided he was going to stay in school, he was doing his best to find a job or two so he could pay his tuition. He applied for grants and loans to help with the cost, and even got a few scholarships offered to him due to his excellent drawing skills. He was an art major, and his professors heard about his situation (from Mercedes of course) and they wanted to help any way they could. They knew they didn't want to lose a student of his caliber. Although he had all of that coming in, he still needed more money to cover room and board, books, lab fees, and a lot more. Things started going downhill fast Sophomore year. With working so hard, he could not give Sasha the attention she wanted, and he felt she needed, although he tried so hard, nothing he did was enough for her. So one day, she sent him a text message breaking up with him, and told him she was seeing the star quarterback, so he needed to stop calling her. That was devastating to him. He loved her, and he saw her in his future, but here when he needed her the most, she abandoned him. His other so called friends were never there either, but there was always one he could turn too, and she was there with arms wide open.

Mercedes hated seeing Sam struggle so much, he was working himself to the bone, and he was still not keeping his head above water, so she made a decision. After a conversation they had, where Sam told her that he was about to get kicked out the dorms, because he couldn't pay, she offered to let him move in her apartment, rent free. He put up a huge fight at first, but there was no way she was going to let her friend live on the streets or in a dingy motel. He had worked too hard to let something like housing send him out the door.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _Sam, I am not going to let you drop out of school because you have no place to stay, especially when I have an extra bedroom!" She had her hands on her hips, and was not going to take no for an answer._

" _Mercedes, I can't take advantage of you like this, I mean rent free? That's crazy, If I do move in with you, and that's a big IF, I have to pay half."_

 _She let out a huge sigh, "Sam, you are working how many jobs now?"_

 _He dropped his head, and in a low voice, "Three…"_

" _And you still can't pay for room and board, plus tuition, so how do you expect to pay me half?"_

" _I'll get another job if I have too!"_

 _That answer earned him a slap on the back of the head from her, "Are you crazy, you still have to go to school boy, and you can't do that if you are always working. Now stop being stubborn, and accept my offer."_

" _Ow! Dang woman!" He rubbed the back of his head, he knew she was right, there was no way he could get another job, he had no time for the three he did have. He still had to try to get her to allow him to pay for something, this just didn't feel right to him. "What about utilities? I can pay a bill or something."_

 _ **This boy is not giving up is he?**_ _She shook her head, "Why are you so stubborn? Okay, if you want to pay a bill, then you pay the phone bill."_

 _Sam smiled, thinking he finally got her, but then he thought about it, "Mercedes, you don't have a landline phone, you use your cell phone. So you want me to pay your cell phone bill?"_

 _She shook her head, "No, I want you to pay your cell phone bill. You wanted to pay for a bill, now you are. Case closed!"_

 _He opened his mouth then closed it quickly,_ _ **this woman has got to be the most stubbornest woman I have ever met, and I am so glad she is my best friend.**_ " _Okay MJ, you win, I'll move in with you, and if I can't pay anything, I will at least make sure the house is clean."_

" _Now that's something I can agree too, can you cook too?" She smirked._

" _I can do a little something something in the kitchen." He laughed, "But I do want to thank you for this, I will never be able to repay you for what you are doing for me right now." His heart was full, and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. She didn't realize how close he was to just walking away from it all, and for her to offer him a place to stay was so much more than a roof over his head, she gave him hope._

" _No need to thank me Sam, that's what friends are for."_

" _You're not going to start singing that cheesy song now are you? He asked with a smirk on his face._

" _Hell no! I am not that corny...now come on, let's go get your stuff roomie!" She hopped up and headed to the door, with Sam right on her heels._

" _Coming roomie!"_

 _ **End Of Flashback**_

By Senior year their relationship blossomed from best friends to lovers, and they were happier than the both of them had ever been. Although Sam still had to work his butt off to pay for school, Mercedes made it a lot easier on him. She always told him that she had his back, and she stuck to that. She also made him feel like he could do anything, she believed in his talents, and she even turned his old bedroom into an art studio when he moved into her bedroom. She had his back, front and middle, and he was there for her in the same way. Well, when they were able to be together. Although her parents were well off, and made sure she didn't want for anything, she was paying for school and her apartment with the inheritance her grandmother left her. She also had a trust fund that covered a lot as well, so she was able to help Sam out in this capacity. She always told him, that since she was so blessed, she felt it was only right to bless others, and he was her blessing of choice. That was something that stuck to him, and he made a vow that one day, he was going to bless her.

Sam had been working on a secret project that he didn't even want Mercedes to see. He was very protective of his artwork, and she knew that, so she never pressured him to show her things unless he wanted too. And usually he would, but not this one, he kept that under lock and key. Sometimes she wondered what he was up too, but she respected his wishes. He was anxious to get back to his studio to finish his project, but his stomach growling let him know he was hungry, and he was so glad Mercedes brought dinner home to eat. Sitting there his mind started to wonder, "So MJ, have you thought about your next move? I mean we are graduating in a few weeks."

She finished chewing her food, "I got a few ideas, and a few labels that might be interested in signing me. I have a trip planned to New York next weekend, and I am going to meet with a few people."

"That's awesome baby! I am so proud of you, I know you are going to be a huge star." He took her hands in his and squeezed them, "I can't wait to hear your music on the radio."

She giggled, "Well I hope you're right. And with you going to do your internship at Majestic Gaming Corp in LA, I know you are going to make a huge splash there. I mean not everybody is offered a paid internship, with housing available for you."

He blushed at her praises, "It's not that big a deal."

"Oh don't you dare try to play off your success, you earned it, and all while working your tail off. I am so proud of you babe." She lifted his hands and kissed his knuckles, "You're going to do great."

"As long as I have you by my side, I will be great." Sam kissed her hands.

"I will always be with you Sam, no matter where this life takes us, I am always here for you."

With that, they looked into each other's eyes and knew dinner was over. They both got up and made their way to their bedroom, and for the next few hours, they showed each other how much they meant to one another.

 _ **Chapter 2**_

September 15, 2016

 _Always remember my friend  
The world will change again  
And you may have to come back  
Through everywhere you've been_

"Sammy….baby, hurry up, we're going to be late for your awards banquet. The pretty petite blonde woman was sitting in front of her vanity applying her makeup. She was dripping in diamonds, had on a very expensive designer gown, and looked like she just walked off the runway.

Sam came walking in, looking like he was straight out of GQ magazine. He was wearing a Tom Ford tux, and it fit him to perfection. His eyes glanced over at the beauty in front of him, and a smile crept on his face. He walked up behind the gorgeous woman, and leaned over kissing her cheek, "Sasha you look amazing tonight, I am going to be the envy of every man in the place with you on my arm."

She smiled, "Well you should be, this is a big night for you baby. I mean, not everyone creates a game, and it is a huge success, but then you had to top yourself, and get your game turned into a movie franchise! You are amazing and I am just glad we were able to reconnect, and get past the past, and start looking towards our future."

Sam was still not used to being praised, but it was getting a bit easier. "Thanks beautiful, you sure know how to make a man feel good. And I am glad to have you back in my life again as well."

Sasha walked back into Sam's life last year, and she was more than determined to get back together again. She saw how successful Sam was, and her life was not going as she planned. Her relationship with Tyler went south the minute they graduated, and he was drafted to the NFL. He had no plans to take her with him in the future. He got what he wanted from her, and he was done. He sent her a DM and told her that it was over, and then blocked her from all his social media accounts. This broke her spirit, and she felt like it was karma for how she treated Sam. So once she looked him up, and saw that he was really successful, she made it her mission to find him, and make him fall back in love with her. She did fear that he was already taken, or still with that Mercedes girl, but to her luck, she found out that he was indeed single, and Mercedes was nowhere to be found. She quickly started her mission of getting him was back, and by the halfway point of the year, she was not only back in his life, but she was moved into his huge LA mansion, and driving an expensive car that he bought her. She couldn't be happier, and to know that she planned everything made her feel extra special.

She kissed his lips sweetly, "Come on sweetie, I'm sure the car is here, we need to go." She grabbed her purse, and wrapped her arm in his, and led them out the house.

They climbed into the limo that was there waiting to take them to the Four Seasons hotel, where the banquet was being held. The drive took about 30 minutes to get to the hotel, and once they arrived, they were swarmed with paparazzi. This was one of the things Sam hated the most, and Sasha loved. She loved the attention they got when they were out together, it made her feel like she was giving the middle finger to all that did her wrong, or said she was never going to amount to anything. She was now on the arm of one of the most successful men in the world, and she made that happen. After a few pictures, Sam was already pulling them inside, much to her shergrin. They were led to the ballroom, where there was a sea of people waiting for them. There was a band playing on the stage, and the room was decorated with the characters of Sam's game. Everyone wanted to talk to Sam and congratulate him, he felt like he was being pulled in one hundred different directions. Finally he was able to reach his table, and he sat down, taking a sip of the champagne that was handed to him. He didn't know when or where he lost Sasha, but he was fine sitting by himself for a moment. The emcee came on the stage and got everyone's attention, asking them all to take their seats.

Sasha walked over, taking her seat next to Sam, and grabbed his hand, "This is amazing baby, everybody's here, and they all came for you."

"It is nice, but I think it might be too much." Sam answered honestly.

Sasha shook her head, "No way baby, you deserve it."

"Thank you." He kissed her on the cheek.

The emcee started the program and told them that there was going to be special guests coming through, and this was going to be a great night. The night started with the president of Majestic coming out and greeting everyone and welcoming them to the celebration. After a few other speeches, it was time to hear from the man of the hour.

Sam was a bit nervous, he never liked to speak in front of a huge crowd, but tonight he had no choice. As he was introduced, he got up, kissed Sasha on the cheek, and headed to the stage. "Thank you everyone for coming out here tonight, it is such a surreal feeling to be here in this moment right now, when a few years ago, I didn't even think I would even finish college." He thought back to those days, and when he did, he would always think about her, and how far they've grown apart. He had to push that thought to the back of his mind, "It has been a huge year, and I am so grateful to finally show to the world, something I've been working on for ten years." Again he thought about being in his studio in their apartment, with her cheering him on the whole time. He still didn't know how they grew so far apart, she got her record deal in New York, and he was in LA. They tried to keep in touch, but their busy schedules made it hard for them. They missed a few calls, then it turned it a few days, to months, and finally years, ten years to be exact. He regained his composure and continued, "This game and movie has been my baby for so long, it's actually a little weird to be talking about it right now." He chuckled, "I want to say thank you to everyone that helped me make this dream of mine a reality. When I was grinding this idea out, and no one really believed in my vision, there was one person that believed in me, and I have to say thank you. This person knows who they are…." He could feel the lump starting to form in his throat, but he pressed on. "To all my co-workers that worked tirelessly on this project, you are all rockstars to me. I know there is no way I could do this on my own. And finally to my bosses, I thank you for believing in this idea, and letting me run with this, and do things my way. I truly appreciate it, and I hope to make you proud and richer than you already are." That got a laugh from the crowd, "Thank you and enjoy the rest of the night." He shook hands with some of the people on the stage before heading back to his seat.

Sasha of course was waiting with a huge smile on her face, although she was a little hurt that he didn't mention her in his speech, but she was going to let that go, she knew she had to pick and choose her battles. "You were amazing Sam," She kissed his cheek, "That was a great speech."

"Thanks beautiful, I really appreciate that, I was so nervous though." He admitted.

Before they could continue their conversation, the emcee was back on the microphone, getting everyone's attention. "We have another treat for you all tonight, your ears will thank us. We have Grammy award winning, international superstar, and with her album being number one in the country, and her single, that she is going to sing for us tonight, blowing up the airways, it's my honor to present to you all the lovely and talented Mercedes Jones!"

The crowd went wild, but Sam sat frozen in his chair, as the woman that haunted his dreams was now walking out in front of him. She was stunning, and he couldn't believe she was standing there. His eyes followed her every step, and he could see that she aged beautifully. Her body was amazing, and she didn't lose her curves, he was thankful for that. He had seen her on TV from time to time, but after they lost contact, he would try hard to avoid her at all cost. It was difficult when she was super famous, and her name was everywhere, but he still tried.

He wasn't the only one shocked, Sasha sat there with a sour look on her face. _Damn, I thought she was gone for good, but the way he's looking at her, it could be a problem. I'll be damned if I let her waltz in here and take what I worked so hard for, she has got to go._ She wasn't going down without a fight, she grabbed Sam's hand to show him that she was there for him now, not her.

Sam felt the hand in his, and he looked at Sasha to acknowledge her, but he quickly focused back on Mercedes once she started talking.

Mercedes was a nervous wreck, when she got the call to sing at this party, she was tempted not to take it. Ten years had past since she had last seen Sam, and that hurt her a lot. She had heard from a few mutual friends that he was doing well for himself, but she wanted to hear it from him. After everything they had been through, she had hoped that they could remain close, but it wasn't in the cards for them apparently. She decided to do the party for a few reasons, 1.) Because she really wanted to see her friend again, she missed him. 2.) She wanted him to know that her dreams also came true. And 3.) Because she wanted to support him on his big night. As she walked onto the stage and she looked at Sam in his beautiful green eyes, her heart skipped a beat. _He's still so handsome…._ She smiled and gave him a small wave, but then noticed the woman sitting next to him, holding his hand. _It can't be….he wouldn't go back to her….would he?_ She didn't have time to focus on that, she was there to do her job. She tried to get them to let her sing another song, because this song was all about Sam, and she knew he would know she was talking about him. She never thought she would have to sing this song about him, at an event honoring him, this was mortifying. Her manager, and the event coordinators pushed and pushed for this song, so she had no choice. She grabbed the microphone and smiled, "Good evening everyone, I am indeed Mercedes Jones, and I am so honored to be here tonight. Once I found out this was an event honoring Sam Evans, I had to come, some of you may not know, but Sam and I attended Georgetown together, and we were friends." She was not going to go into details of their friendship,

 _Were...that hurts._ Sam thought to himself, _But it's been ten years, so maybe that's an accurate statement. It still hurts like hell._

Mercedes continued, "He's such a good guy, and I can say that I am truly proud of him." She smiled and gave him a wink. "Now this is not the song that I would choose to sing at a celebration like this, but it was a request, and since it's my latest single, I should sing it." She chuckled, and so did the crowd. "So here it goes, and it's called When Your Life Was Low."

Just hearing her voice sent Sam into another world, back in time when he and Mercedes would lie in the bed after a long hard day, and he would have his head in her lap, and she would sing to him, while stroking his hair. When he heard the title of her song, he locked eyes with her, and he knew this was about him, and he could feel a knot in his stomach.

The music started and Mercedes readied herself to sing.

 _Always remember my friend  
The world will change again  
And you may have to come back  
Through everywhere you've been_

When your life was low  
You had nowhere to go  
People turned their backs on you  
And everybody said that you were through

Mercedes tried not to look at Sam when she sang this part, but she couldn't stop herself. This was how she felt about this situation, and she could only sing her truth.

I took you in, made you strong again  
Put you back together  
Out of all the dreams you left along the way  
You left me shining

Sam felt a pang of guilt run through his body, she did take him in and put him back together again. She was the one person he could count on to always count on to be there for him, and now they hadn't spoken in ten years. He didn't know why he felt like it was his fault, but he did.

 _Now you're doing well  
From stories I hear tell  
You own the world again  
Everyone's your friend_

She made sure to look directly at Sasha after singing that part of the song. She didn't expect Sam to actually go back to her, after everything she put him through. That was like a knife to her heart. She spent many of nights comforting a wounded Sam over that heffa, and now here she was again, she was like a cockroach that wouldn't die.

 _Although I never hear from you  
Still it's nice to know  
You used to love me so  
When your life was low_

He did love her, and he wanted to say a part of him still did, but it was too late now...right? They had grown apart, and he was with...um….um….damn I can't think of her name right now.

 _I took you in. I made you strong again  
I put you back together  
Out of all the dreams you left along the way  
You left me shining_

Sasha! That's right! That's her name, and I'm with her….

Now you're doing well  
From stories I hear tell  
You own the world again  
Everyone's your friend

Although I never hear from you  
Still it's nice to know  
You used to love me so  
You used to love me so  
When your life was low

But always remember my friend  
The world will change again  
And you may have to come back  
Through everywhere you've been  
The world will change again

Mercedes finished the song, and got a standing ovation from the crowd, but her only focus was on Sam. When she saw him stand up and clap for her, she smiled, blew him a kiss, "Congratulations Sam, you truly deserve it." And with that, she made her way off the stage. To her smiling manager Traci.

"You were amazing, and I didn't know you actually knew Sam."

"Yeah, we knew each other…" She left it at that and made her way to the makeshift dressing room they had for her. She hated that she agreed to hang around to sign autographs and take pictures with the guest, but it was what they paid the big bucks for, so she had to do it. She checked herself to make sure she looked okay. "Lord, if you love me a little, please don't let me run into Sam tonight. It's been ten years, and I would rather we keep our lives separate. It's for the best….I think." She put a smile on her face, and made her way out to greet the guests.

After what seemed like an eternity of talking to everyone in the room, and Sasha being so damn clingy all of a sudden, Sam finally had a moment to breathe and walked out on the patio to get some fresh air. He was standing against the wall with his eyes closed, when he heard high heels walking onto the patio. _Please God, don't let it be Sasha._ He opened his eyes, and saw the one person he wanted to talk to all night, but it was as if she was avoiding him. Well there was no avoiding now, and nowhere to run. He walked up beside her and noticed she had her eyes closed. _She is even more beautiful up close, and she smells just like I remember._ He took a breath, "So, your dreams came true, huh MJ?"

Mercedes needed a breather, and so far she managed to avoid Sam like the plague. She walked on the balcony, and she thought she was alone, but when she heard the voice she didn't want to hear, she sighed. She was caught, and there was nowhere to go. So she had to face him, slowly turning her head, she looked at those green eyes that haunted her dreams for the past ten years. "Yeah they did...and I guess that secret project of yours is finally ready for the world to see."

"Yeah it is, and I am actually glad that you were here to see it come to fruition, since you were the only one that believed in it from the very beginning."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Please Sam, don't act like you knew I was here, or even wanted me here. I saw the look on your face when I walked out, you were surprised to see me."

"I never said I wasn't surprised, I was. I didn't know you were going to be here, but I'm saying I'm glad you were here." Sam didn't want their reunion to be like this, but he didn't expect it to be all roses and bunnies either. Too much time had passed, and neither one of them could say why they drifted apart.

"If you really wanted me here Sam, you could have called me yourself and invited me, you know I would have come running." Her heart was starting to hurt just thinking about the hold Sam actually had over her. She would have dropped anything for Sam, and she didn't want him to have that power over her, but she didn't know how to get loose from him.

Sam felt so guilty hearing her say that all he had to do was call, "MJ, how was I supposed to call you? It's been ten years, I don't have your number."

"My number hasn't changed Sam…. I made sure of that, just in case…." She choked out, not wanting to finish that sentence. She didn't want him to see her crying, she cried enough over him, and she was ready to stop crying.

He felt like a knife just stabbed him in the gut. _Her number was the same? I could have called her anytime? I'm such an idiot._ He wanted to touch her so bad, his hand was itching. "MJ…" He slowly reached over and touched her hand, "I didn't know….I'm sorry."

As much as she wanted to snatch her hand away from his touch, she couldn't. She missed him, and his his touch, so she didn't move. "I tried to call you a few times, but your number changed, and I had no way of getting in touch with you. What happened to us Sam? I thought we promised each other that no matter where we ended up in the world that we were going to be there for each other?"

It was Sam's turn to cry, "I'm sorry MJ, I feel like it's my fault. I mean I got so busy with work, I would get your messages and never make time to call you back. Then so much time had gone by, I was embarrassed to call you after that." He didn't want to lie to her, besides she always knew when he was lying anyway, so it was pointless to lie.

"I was your friend Sam, I was there for you, how could you not make time for me?" She had to get all these feelings out now, because she wasn't sure when she was going to see him again. "After everything we went through, I always made time for you, but I guess asking the same from you is too much." She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, not wanting him to see.

"I know this may not change things, or mend the hurt I caused, but I am truly sorry MJ, and I thought about you all the time." Sam admitted sadly.

Mercedes took a step back from him, "No, it doesn't change anything Sam. You must have not thought about me enough, not enough to call me." She then turned and looked into the ballroom and saw Sasha, and her blood boiled more. "And another thing Sam, how could you let that woman back in your life? After what she did to you, are you a glutton for punishment?"

Sam hated seeing her so upset, especially with him, and he really didn't know what else to say. He was going to apologize again, but when she started asking

him about Sasha, he got a little defensive. "She is not the same person from college MJ, she changed. I believe in giving people second chances."

She laughed out loud hearing that foolishness, "You really believe she changed? Apparently you were her fall back plan Sam!" She didn't want to sound bitter, but she heard the story about Sasha, and thought he had a right to know. "Tyler dumped her on social media after he got drafted, and she wasn't going to be the NFL wife she thought she would. Let me guess she recently called you out of the blue, saying how she messed up by letting you go. Probably after she saw how successful you'd become."

Hearing the things Mercedes was saying was messing with his head, he didn't want to believe that Sasha was using him, but he knew Mercedes was not one to lie to him. "We've been together for a year now, so it wasn't recent."

"Do the math Sam, your video game became the fastest selling game a year ago, and poof she calls you." She shook her head at how dense Sam was being right now.

Sam couldn't deny that he had some doubts about Sasha's intentions, but he hadn't seen anything that would cause him to worry. "I know this is hard for you to understand MJ…"

"You damn right it is! How many nights did I have to hear you cry over her, and watch her trample over your heart, and now after all these years, I see you two back together cozied up while I've been….." She stopped herself before she told him how she was pining after him all these years. _Nope, he does not get the satisfaction of knowing that._

Sam did remember all those nights he cried over Sasha and what she did to him, but she had changed and he could see himself falling back in love with her completely. He knew it was something always stopping him from completely giving his heart to her again, but he never knew what it was….until now. His heart was still not completely his to give to another woman, because Mercedes still held a piece of it. Hearing her stop mid sentence, made him curious to what she was going to say, "While you've been what MJ?"

She shook her head, "Nothing…"

Sam didn't believe that for a second, so he closed the gap between them, and grabbed her hands, "It's something…" His voice was low, and they were so close, he could kiss her if he wanted too. "While you've been what?"

The sudden closeness was messing with her mind, and her body was being a traitor. She could feel his warm breath on her skin, and it was like she was in a trance. "While I've been…" She closed her eyes, "Waiting on you."

The emotions going through Sam's head ranged from total elation, to complete sadness. Here was the woman that he fell in love with so many years ago, that was his everything, telling him that she was waiting on him. Then on the other hand, he had Sasha who came back in his life, and things were good, sure he wasn't in love with her, but he could be with time. Could he really trust this thing between him and Mercedes anymore, when it was so easy for them to drift apart in the first place. He had stability with Sasha for a year now, should he throw it all away? He looked at Mercedes, and he could tell she was pleading for him to say something, "MJ...I…"

"Sammy! There you are!" Sasha walked over stepping in between Sam and Mercedes. _Looks like I got here right in time. You are not taking Sam away from me songbird, just fly away._ Not even acknowledging Mercedes, "I've been looking all over for you baby, you have a lot of guest in there wanting to talk to you. It's a little rude to give all your time to the entertainment for the night." She glanced in Mercedes direction, and rolled her eyes.

Sam sighed, "Okay Sasha, give me a few minutes, and I'll be right there."

"But baby, you're the guest of honor."

"I know, and I will be right there, just give us a few minutes." Sam gave her a slight push towards the door so she can get the hint.

She huffed, "Fine Sam, I'll be inside." She glared at Mercedes one last time before storming back into the ballroom.

Mercedes rolled her eyes, and scoffed, "Oh yeah, she's a catch."

Sam sighed, "She's not always bad."

"Please Sam, spare me the she's changed speech, I just can't hear that right now." She stepped away from him again, "You better get inside, your the guest of honor."

He knew he should be inside, but honestly, he didn't want to go. "Yeah…" Was all he could say. He headed towards the door, but stopped, "MJ, if I were to call you….would you answer?"

That was a question Mercedes was not expecting to hear, and honestly, she didn't know how to answer. Should she just give in to him, after all these years? "Honestly Sam, I don't know….I guess you're going to have to call to find out."

He shook his head, "That's fair." He turned to walk away again, but stopped once again. "MJ, that song you sang tonight….you wrote that about me didn't you?"

She stiffened up, she knew he would figure it out. "Yes…"

He nodded, and walked towards the door again. He made it right to the door before stopping again,"Hey MJ, I never forgot that you were the one I loved when my life was low, and I never will." He gave her a weak smile, before walking inside.

"Damn you Sam Evans…" The tears were flowing once again, "Why did he have to say that? Why does he always turn my world upside down? Why do I still love him? I have to get out of here." She went to find Traci, so they could get out of there. She needed as much distance between her and Sam as possible.

 _ **Chapter 3**_

The next few days were non stop Mercedes overload for Sam. Just seeing her at his banquet, had his mind all messed up. The feelings he felt for her flooded his mind, and he was so confused on what to do about them, if there was anything he could really do about them. He hadn't called her, but he did send a couple "feeler texts" to kinda feel her out, and see if she still wanted any kind of relationship with him. She would reply to his texts, and they were always polite, but not like the ones they used to send to one another. He tried not to be different with Sasha, because he was the one that needed to sort out his feelings, and it was not her fault, so he tried to be the same with her. Although he did notice that he was not as affectionate as he used to be with her. Since the banquet, they haven't been intimate, his excuse was he was tired from work, but he knew it had everything to do with Mercedes, and so did she.

Sasha was not a fool, she could tell that Sam was heavily affected by seeing Mercedes again, and it was becoming a problem for her. She wasn't ready to lose the lifestyle he provided for her, and she had to make him see that she was the one for him. Sam had claimed he was tired from work, so they haven't had sex in a few days, but that was going to change tonight. She made sure to get the chef to make them a delicious meal, and had the staff decorate the house with candles and flowers all over the dining room and bedroom. She spent the day getting her hair, nails, toes, and waxing done. She went and bought the sexiest lingerie set she could find, when Sam got home tonight, she was going to rock his world. She put on the lingerie and made sure she was perfect. She looked in the full length mirror, hiked her breasts up, and smiled, "I look perfect! There is no way Sam is going to resist me this time." She heard Sam's car pull up in the driveway, and she quickly made her way downstairs right in front of the door, so she would be the first thing he saw when he walked in.

Sam opened the door, and saw Sasha standing there, in next to nothing, and looking amazing. _Shit! I'm in trouble._ His eyes roamed her body, "Um...babe, what's all this?"

 _Is he that dumb? What does he think this is?_ She inwardly rolled her eyes, but gave him her best sultry look, "This is all for you baby." She let her hands roam her body, "I figured you earned a night of being spoiled, and a present you can unwrap whenever you want." She slowly walked towards him, wrapping his arms around him. "You like?"

Sam could feel himself becoming aroused, and his head was getting clouded. She was gorgeous, and she wanted him, that should be enough...right? He didn't know where Mercedes' head was at, so why not go for it with Sasha. He parted his lips to speak, when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled away from Sasha to answer it, "Hello…"

Mercedes was pacing her hotel room for what seemed like hours, trying to decide if she should call Sam. She found out from Traci, that she could get his number, and she came through. She didn't know if she should call or not, but something inside her needed to see him again before she went back to New York. "Come on Mercedes, be a big girl and just call the man, the worst he could say is no." She took a deep breath and dialed the number on the paper. When she heard his voice, she was about to hang up, but she shook her head, _you can do this!_ "Um...hello Sam, this is Mercedes."

He knew instantly who it was on the other end of his phone, and his heart did a summersault. "Hey, what's going on?" He looked back at Sasha who was glaring at him. "I didn't expect to hear from you."

Mercedes smiled, "I know, and I wasn't expecting to call you, but I had to." She took a deep breath, "Look Sam, I think we have unfinished business we should address."

"I agree." Sam said honestly. "So what should we do?"

"Well I'm leaving heading back to New York tomorrow, but if you want to talk now, you can come to my hotel room, and we can talk. I'm staying at the Beverly Hills Wilshire." She hated that she was actually nervous, and very unsure of everything.

He nodded as if she could see him, "Sure, we can talk now, I'm on my way. I should be there in about thirty minutes." He was actually smiling, and looking forward to talking to her, even if some of the things said would be hurtful.

"Good, that's fine then" She let out a sigh of relief, "I guess I'll see you here then. I'll text you the room number when you are closer."

"Sounds good, I'll see you soon."

"See you soon Sam." She hung up and squealed as she fell on the bed, "I can't believe I did that, but now I have thirty minutes to make him see his mistake for leaving me." She got up and headed to the bathroom to shower.

Sam hung up his phone, and took a deep breath, before turning back around to face a seething Sasha. "Um...I gotta go."

Her eyes bugged out and she put her hands on her hips, "Are you kidding me? Sam, do you see what I'm wearing? I have plans for us, I spent all day getting ready for this. I am not going to let you walk out that door and see...her." She gritted that last word out through her teeth.

Sam did feel a little bad about leaving Sasha standing there. Looking like that, but he had to do this for himself, and for their relationship. "Look Sasha, I know you are going to be pissed at me for leaving, but I have to do this, and trust me when I say I'm doing this for you too. I have to go talk to MJ, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

She couldn't believe he actually said that to her, "For me?" She scoffed, "Please Sam, this has nothing to do with me, this is all about you and her, and you know what I am sick of it. Ever since she showed up at the party, you have been distant with me. So why don't you be honest with me Sam, are you going to leave me for her?"

The question was not an easy question for Sam to answer, he really didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't know where he stood with Mercedes, hell, he didn't know if she even wanted him back, but all he knew he needed to talk to her and find out. "Look Sasha, I don't know what I'm going to do, and I am not going to lie to you, ever since I saw MJ, I have had a lot on my mind, and she is the reason. After you dumped me, she was the only person there for me, and helped me when I was at my lowest. I just can't forget about that."

"Why not, you have for ten years!" She spat out.

"And that was my fault, but trust me, I never forgot, I just got caught up, but I owe it to her and myself to see what if anything is between us. Now I'm sorry if this hurts you to hear but it wouldn't be fair to you to have you here, wanting more from me than I could give to you. So I am actually doing this for you as well." He hated hurting people, and he did care for Sasha, but he had to know.

She stood there and looked at him with the coldest look in her eyes, "You know what Sam, you do what you have to do for you, but if you walk out that door, I won't be here when you get back." _This is where he was going to fold, there was no way he was going to leave now, knowing he might lose me._ She had a small smirk on her face, as she waited for him to fall back in her arms.

One thing Sam hated was an ultimatum, he refused to be bullied into anything, especially a relationship. Now it was coming back to him why deep down, he was happy they broke up, she was manipulative, and she used his emotions to get her way. He grabbed both her hands, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered in her ear, "Maybe that's best, make sure you leave the car keys." He smiled and headed out of the house to go see Mercedes. He made one quick call to his security team to make sure Sasha left his property in the same condition, and didn't take anything she didn't bring with her. He could hear her screaming as he walked out the door, but he didn't care, she wasn't a factor in his life anymore, and he was okay with that. He started the car, and the radio blared out;

 _You're listening to Hot 105 and this is the new joint from Mercedes Jones, and I'm telling you it's a hot one._

 _Always remember my friend  
The world will change again  
And you may have to come back  
Through everywhere you've been_

Sam smiled as he heard her voice, "I remember MJ, and I'm coming!" He accelerated a little more, he couldn't wait to see her again.

 _ **Chapter 4**_

Mercedes finished getting ready for Sam's visit, she ordered some food and drinks, just in case he was hungry. She had a lot on her mind, and she had to get it off her chest before she went home. She didn't know when she was going to see him again, and she couldn't let this opportunity pass her by. After her shower she text Sam her room number, and finished putting on her clothes. She didn't want to look like she put too much effort in her outfit, but she wanted to make him drool a little as well. She wanted him to see what a huge mistake he made by choosing Sasha over her. So she slipped on a pair of black leggings, with a red off the shoulder shirt, that showed off her ample cleavage, and it stopped just under her ass, so he couldn't help but see her round, juicy ass. She had always been proud of her curves, but when she was with Sam, he made her feel sexy, so she was going to show him just how sexy she was. Her hair was pulled into a side ponytail, and her makeup was light, just lipgloss. She made sure to wear his favorite scent, jasmine. She couldn't lie and say she wasn't nervous, but she needed to do this. Hearing a slight knock on the door, she knew it was him. She took a deep breath, "You can do this...you can do this." She made her way to the door, and opened it with a smile on her face. "Hi Sam." _Damn he looked good! How sexy can one man be?_ She stepped aside, "Please come in."

When she opened the door, he almost stopped breathing at how stunning she looked. _Fuck I'm in trouble!_ He didn't want to creep her out, by not saying anything, so he had to get his mind out of the gutter and actually talk. "Hey MJ….thanks." He walked in, and his nose got assaulted with a scent he was very familiar with and loved. _Damn she smells good, this is not going to be easy if she hates me._ He walked in and stood in the middle of the living room, with his hands in his pocket, "So…"

Mercedes closed the door, and walked in the living room. She smiled seeing how nervous Sam was, "So...you can have a seat if you want."

He chuckled, "Oh yeah….okay." He took a seat on the couch, and patted the spot next to him, "Are you going to join me?"

She smiled, "Yeah I will, but first, I got food and drinks if you want to partake in any of it."

He nodded, "I would love to, I didn't get a chance to eat dinner, so I'm starving." He got up and made his way to where the food was set up, and stood right behind her, invading her personal space. He growled out in her ear, "So what did you get?"

Mercedes shivered feeling his breath on her skin, and his body pressed against hers. _Damn your sexy ass Sam Evans, this could be dangerous for me, if he does not back up off me._ She steadied herself, "Nothing special, just burgers and fries."

He moved closer, pressing his body against her, "Sounds perfect." He reached around her and grabbed the plate, making sure to take his time.

She closed her eyes, taking in the feel of his body, and the smell of his cologne. He felt perfect against her, and her traitorous body just melted into him. She wanted to make him squirm, but she was the one doing the squirming. She heard herself let out a small moan, and she stiffened up. _Please tell me he didn't hear that…_ She peaked over her shoulder, and saw a small smirk on his face, _damn he heard that. It's okay, you can still get through this._ She picked up her plate, and shimmied out of the small space between them, "There's drinks at the bar if you want one." She walked over to the couch, making sure to add a little more swish in her walk before sitting down.

Sam chuckled, _she knows what she's doing, but so do I._ He turned and went to the bar, "Thanks, do you want a drink?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Just water for me thanks." She replied, and took a fry and popped it in her mouth.

Sam grabbed two bottles of water, and took it over to the couch. He plopped down right next to her, and handed her the water. Their fingers grazed on the exchange, and it was evident that they both felt the spark between them. He cleared his throat, and took a swig of water. "So...you invited me over to talk, so where should we begin." He didn't want to waste any more time not knowing what this was about.

Mercedes nodded, feeling just as anxious, "You're right I did want to talk. I don't know about you but ever since we reconnected, I can't seem to stop thinking about you." She wasn't going to beat around the bush, it had already been way too long, and this conversation was way overdue. "Now I don't ever want to come between someone's relationship, because that's not who I am, but I can't lie Sam, even after all these years, I need to say how I feel."

Sam sat his water on the table, and looked Mercedes square in the eyes, "And how do you feel MJ?"

His stare was intense and it almost scared her, but she was not going to punk out. She had to get this out there no matter what. She took a deep breath, "I am still in love with you Sam, and I know that seems weird after so much time had past, but it's true. All these years, I have been comparing every guy I dated to you, and none of them could even come close to how I feel about you. I know that it's been a long time since we've seen one another, but the second I saw you at your party, it was like no time had past. Now if you tell me that you love Sasha I promise not to cause any trouble between the two of you, and I will bow out gracefully." She took a deep breath, and felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Now all she could do was wait to see what Sam had to say, the ball was now in his court.

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing, Mercedes still loved him, and she wanted to be with him. This was something he dreamed about, but he never thought it would happen. He was amazed by this woman once again, she was willing to put it all out there and put herself out there for his love, not really knowing if his love was even available to her. It only made what he already felt for her grow even more. She said something that really stuck out to him, and he never knew he was doing it, but he also was comparing everyone that he dated to her, and things never lasted. As a matter of fact, Sasha was the longest relationship he had since Mercedes, and he still never gave her all of him. Looking into Mercedes eyes, it was obvious to him what he had to do. "MJ…." He grabbed her hands, "It has been a long time, and I didn't think we would ever have this chance again, but as fate has it, here we are. Things are a little different this time, but the same players are still in play." He chuckled at the thought of that. "It is some things that are different this time around though."

She raised her eyebrow, "I'm intrigued now, what's different?" She was on the edge of her seat.

He had her right where he wanted her, and that made him smile, "The difference is, that I am not going to be crying over Sasha dumping me. As a matter of fact, she's the one doing all the crying this time. At this moment, she is packing her things and moving out of my house." He moved closer to Mercedes, "She is not a factor between you and I."

Mercedes couldn't believe she was hearing right now, Sam actually broke up with Sasha, but one thing confused her. "Sam, I need to ask you something."

"Ask me anything MJ."

Why that simple comment made her skin tingle, she didn't know, but she had to shake that away. "You broke up with Sasha, not knowing what I was going to say to you...why?"

Sam chuckled, "Honestly, she gave me an ultimatum, either her or you." He took his finger and put it under her chin, lifting it to make her look him in the eyes, "I made the wrong choice once, and I will never do that again. From this moment on I will always choose you." He leaned in and was inches away from her lips, "I never stopped loving you either MJ, and I'm just sorry that it took ten years for me to tell you again."

Mercedes heart was melting, and she felt like she was soaring. She waited ten years to hear those words from Sam again, and now he was saying it. She honestly thought this might be a dream, but if it was, she wasn't going to wake up now. "Then don't waste another minute then Sam…"

He smiled knowing exactly what she meant by that, and he leaned in and kissed her deeply. Running his tongue across her lips, asking for entry, which she happily gave. Feeling her hands wrapping around the back of his neck, he moaned into their kiss when her fingers tangled into his hair. He didn't want to let her go, but his lungs were burning, and he needed to breath. But he was not going to let her go that easily, so he pulled back, only to attack her neck and cleavage with a barrage of kisses. "Mmm, your skin is a soft as I remember."

Mercedes body was reacting to every single one of Sam's touches, and she couldn't help but let out a moan as his lips grazed the sensitive skin on her neck. "Your lips are magical…"

Sam pulled her on his lap, and their hands roamed each other's body. He missed this, he missed the noises she made when she liked what he was doing. His tugged at the hem of her shirt, and was going to pull it off her, but then stopped. "MJ, I want you so bad, but I don't want to rush into anything."

Mercedes put her finger on Sam's lip, "Shhhh…..there's no rushing Sam. It's been ten years, it's been long enough." She got up, and took his hand in hers, and began pulling him towards the bedroom. "Tonight we are going to catch up for lost time."

Sam couldn't wipe the smile off his face, "That's a lot of time MJ."

"Well it's good we have all night then."

He stopped her, and pulled her in his arms, "No, we have a lifetime. I'm not going anywhere, you're stuck with me."

She smiled bright, "A lifetime seems like long enough." She giggled and pulled him in the bedroom, and he kicked the door closed with his foot.

For the next several hours they did their best to make up for lost times, and to say that room was a noisy would be the understatement of the year.

 _ **Chapter 5**_

Mercedes woke up with the sun peeking in her room, and she was a bit disoriented. When she tried to move, she felt a pair of strong arms around her, and everything that happened last night came back to her memory. She made love to Sam Evans, the one man that came into her life and totally flipped it upside down. This was something she thought would never happen again, and almost accepted it as so, but life has a funny way of turning things around when you least expect it. She needed to get up to go to the bathroom, but every time she moved, Sam would tighten his grip around her waist. She tried to pry his hands from around her waist, but he was like a viper, and his grip was like a vice grip.

"Why are you trying to get away from me?" Sam asked without opening his eyes.

"I have to go to the bathroom Sam." She answered with a smile on her face. She could feel his breath on her neck, and she shivered.

"That can wait." He leaned in and kissed her neck.

"Saaammm" She wined, "I really have to pee."

As much as he didn't want to let her go, he didn't want her to pee in the bed, so he reluctantly let her go, "You hurry back."

She smiled, "I will." She ran to the bathroom, not bothering to cover up.

Sam liked the sight of her walking away buck naked, he bit his bottom lip, "Mmmm…" He took the time she was in the bathroom to check his messages on his phone. He was glad to see that his security guy said Sasha left the premises with only what she brought. That was one less thing he had to worry about, now all he had to focus on was that beautiful woman in the bathroom. Speaking of her, he already missed her body next to him, "MJ! Hurry up in there, I need to feel your soft body next to mine!"

She opened the door and stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, "Seriously Sam, stop yelling, I'm coming, you have to give me some time, I'm a bit sore."

Hearing her say she was sore only inflated his ego, "Yeah I guess you would be after that pipe I laid down." He smirked, garnering an eye roll from her. "Oh don't roll your eyes, you know it's true." He got up and walked over to her and in one quick motion, he scooped her up in his arms.

"Sam! You better not drop me!" She squealed.

"I got you baby." He carried her back to the bed, and laid her down.

She knew he meant he had her and he wouldn't drop her, but she thought about the other meaning of that statement. He had her, and she always wanted him to have her. "You better have me."

"Always baby…" He leaned in and kissed her, "Always."

That small sentiment turned into round…..they actually lost count of how many rounds they had, but who cares, they were both just so damn happy.

Once they finished their session, they laid in the bed, holding each other in their arms, and whispering sweet adorations to one another. Suddenly a blaring sound rang out across the room, and Mercedes let out a long groan.

"No! Not yet!" It was her alarm indicating that it was time for her to leave and head to the airport. Holding Sam tighter, "I don't want to leave yet."

"Then don't." Sam simply answered.

"I wish it was that simple." She replied, letting out a sigh. "I have some singing engagements next week, so I have to rehearse."

"You can do that here." He reasoned with her.

Mercedes smiled at Sam, and caressed his cheek, "All my performances are in New York Sam, I can't stay."

As much as Sam wanted her to stay with him, he knew she couldn't. She had a life in New York, and it would be selfish to ask her to uproot her life that she had for ten years, without him, to stay with him now. "MJ, as much as I don't want you to go, I know you have too."

She nodded sadly, "I do…" She looked into his sparkling green orbs, and thought she saw a tear forming in them, and that broke her heart. Without warning, she blurted out, "Come with me!"

He was stunned that she would extend that offer to him, and as much as he wanted to say yes, he just got started on his movie project, so there was no way he could leave. He kissed her sweetly, "I want to go with you God knows I do, but…"

Mercedes put her finger on his lips, "Shhh… I know. You have your life out here, and there's no way you could leave all that. I completely understand, this is just the cards we were dealt." She tried not to cry, but inside her heart was breaking.

Sam kissed her finger, then her whole hand, "This doesn't have to be goodbye MJ, I just believe that we were reconnected for a reason, and I don't want to lose you again."

"As much as I want to believe that, we did drift apart before…"

It was Sam's turn to stop her from talking, putting his finger on her lips, "Shhh… I make this promise to you right now. I am not going to let us drift apart ever again. You are my top priority, and I am going to do everything in my power for us not to drift again."

"Easier said than done Sam." She got out the bed, grabbing her robe and putting it on. "Don't make promises that you may not be able to keep." She didn't want to go down that road again, and she was mad at herself for allowing herself to be put in this situation again. She knew before she even called Sam over that this was only going to be a one night deal, but she still gave into her desires. "We just need to take this night for what it was, and go on with our lives. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross again."

Sam got up and walked over to her, stopping her from gathering her clothes together, "Don't do this MJ, we can make this work. We both have to want it, and I know I want it, do you?"

The tears were starting to fall, and she couldn't stop them. Of course she wanted to try to make things work with Sam, but their past was hard to just forget. She didn't want to be the one giving all the effort again, for him to get caught up with work again, and let her fall by the wayside. "I-I just don't know Sam." She grabbed her clothes and ran into the bathroom.

This was not how Sam envisioned this moment happening, he knew they were going to have to say goodbye again, but he thought they would agree to make it work. He sat on the bed with his head in his hands, and he realized that she was still hurting from what happened before, and he couldn't just tell her that he was invested in this relationships, he had to show her. He grabbed his phone and made a few phone calls. He was not going to let her walk out of his life again, and he was going to do whatever he could to be with her. After making a few arrangements, he was happy with what he had planned, and he couldn't wait to see her face when she told her. When she came out of the bathroom, she was fully dressed, and started packing her clothes. "MJ, can we talk please?"

"Sam, I have to be at the airport in a couple hours, so I don't have time to talk." Her walls were back up in full force, and she had no plans on letting Sam tear them down again. "So you should just get dressed so we can get out of here." She wouldn't even look at him, because she didn't want him to see her crying.

Sam sighed, he knew trying to talk wasn't going to convince her, he was just going to have to show her. "Fine…" He walked to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. Once he was done, she was all ready to leave. "MJ…."

"Let's just go Sam, we've said and done everything that needs to be said." She grabbed her bag and headed to the elevators.

Sam followed behind her, and didn't say anything. When they made their way downstairs, he saw Marco, his head of security standing there with the bag he asked for. He walked over and took the bag, and handed him the keys to his car, "Thanks man, I'll see you in a few weeks." Marco nodded and jumped into Sam's car, and sped off down the street. He then turned and walked back over to Mercedes, "So we ready to go?"

Mercedes was confused to what was going on, and she looked down at the bag Sam was holding, and the fact that some man just drove away in his car. "Um...Sam, what's going on?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "You asked me to come with you, don't tell me you're reneging on your offer already?"

Her eyes went wide, she couldn't believe he was actually going to come with her. "You're coming to New York? Just like that?"

"Yup, just like that." He sat his bag down and pulled her in his arms, "I told you that I was going to make you the priority, but I can see that you need actions and not just words, so I'm going to show you that I want us to work."

She was crying again, this time they were happy tears, "Sam…"

He put his bags down, walked over to her and pulled her in his arms, "Don't cry MJ, I meant what I said, I want us to work, and if that means me taking a few weeks to come to New York, then I'm going to do it."

"A few weeks?" She looked in his eyes, to see if he was being honest with her, "But what about your job?"

He shook his head, "I have some vacation time, especially since I have never taken time off since I've been there so they let me go. And not to mention I can still work in New York. If there's something to be done that I have to go to the office, I can just go to the New York office." What he didn't tell her was that he already put in a request to be transferred to the New York office, but he was going to save that bit of information for later. He had plans for looking for a place while she was working, because as much as he wanted to dive right in and marry this woman, he knew they had a lot to discuss. It had been ten years, and they needed to get reaquainted with each other.

"So, you're coming to New York?" She asked again, not believing it was real.

"Yes, I'm coming to New York." He laughed and looked at his watch, "But we better get going or we're going to miss our flight." He helped her in the car, to see a shocked look on Traci's face.

"So, you're going to the airport with us?" Traci asked, still a lot confused.

"Something like that." Sam replied, looking at Mercedes with a smirk on his face.

"He's coming to New York for a few weeks." Mercedes said with a huge smile on her face. She snuggled against Sam's chest.

Traci was shocked that this was even happening right now, but looking at Mercedes face, she could tell that she was happier than she had ever been, so she was going to keep quiet. "Well okay then…." She smirked at Mercedes and went back to checking messages on her phone.

"So, where are you going to stay in New York?" Mercedes asked Sam.

He smirked, "Well I can get a hotel…"

She put her finger up to his lips, "Shhh...you will do no such thing, we have a lot of time to make up for, and I refuse to go back and forth from a hotel to my place."

He smiled, "That sounds like a plan to me MJ, that's why I love you so much. You are never scared to make the tough decisions."

Her heart felt like it was going to fly out of her chest hearing Sam say that he loved her, and the best part about all this was, she believed him. He was not only telling her, but he was showing her as well. She leaned up and kissed him, "I love you too Sam."

Just then the DJ on the radio blared through the car, _And here is the hottest song in the country, and my personal favorite When Your Life Was Low by the phenomenal Mercedes Jones!_

 _Always remember my friend  
The world will change again  
And you may have to come back  
Through everywhere you've been_

Sam pulled Mercedes in for a deeper kiss, and smiled, "I came back baby, and I'm never leaving again."

"You better not." Mercedes said with a smirk, "You're stuck with me."

"That makes two of us." He gave her a wink, and pulled her in for another kiss.

They made their way to the airport and headed to New York to start the next journey of their life. It had been a long road, but they were connected, and fate brought them back together again. Now it was up to them to make it work.

 **A/N: So there you have it! I hoped you liked this story as much as I did, and feel free to let me know what you think, good, bad, or indifferent. And yes this is it, no other chapters… :)**


	2. Before And After

**A/N: Surprise! I had so many people wanting to know how Sam and Mercedes got together in the first place, and how they were doing in New York, so I decided to give you a flashback, and a flash forward. This will show how Sam and Mercedes went from friends to lovers back in college. And it will show their lives in New York, and what thy are up too. I am still overwhelmed by the response I got to this fic, but I thank you all for the kind words, and for taking the time to read and review this story. The song in this story is You Were Meant For Me by Lalah Hathaway. (Yes I am obsessed with her at the moment...lol) I am not going to babble on, so you all go and enjoy...Happy Reading!**

 **MUCH LOVE**

 *****DISCLAIMER*** I own nothing! This story is unbetaed, so the mistakes are my own, but remember I am only human, so please excuse any mistakes.**

The day started like any other day, but for Sam, this week was nothing normal. He and Mercedes had been roommates for a year, and thing were great between the two of them. They had become very comfortable with one another, and respected one another's quirks, even if they annoyed the hell out of the other person. Sam hated that Mercedes was a neat freak, and had a place for everything, and if something was out of place, she would lose her mind. They had many of arguments about the "mess" Sam would make when he left his backpack by the door instead of hanging it up on the hooks she supplied for that very thing. Mercedes hated when Sam would walk in his sleep and end up in her bedroom, not in the bed with her but standing in the corner. That freaked her out, and although Sam never remembers doing it, he didn't doubt he was. His parents always told him he did it a lot when he was younger but he had no control over it, so it was something she dealt with. Even with their habits, the two made it work, and things were going smoothly. Lately though, Sam noticed him looking at Mercedes differently, and he didn't know why. Nothing major happened between them, but he just couldn't stop thinking about her. When he was at work, he would wonder what she was doing, so much so, he would actually call her just to check up on her. If he had to pinpoint when this happened, he would have to guess it was a few weeks ago, when they were both studying for their midterms.

 **FLASHBACK**

" _UGHH!" Sam threw his pencil across the room, "This is so frustrating! I don't know why I have to know this? I'm an Art major, not a mathematician, nor do I want to be."_

 _Mercedes knew how much Sam struggled when it came to math, and she felt for him. She hated seeing him so aggravated, so she got up and went to his side, "It's okay Sam, you will get this, I promise." She grabbed his book, and looked at what he was studying. "Lucky for you, you have a roommate that is a genius and can help you with this." She giggled, and grabbed another pencil, "Now let's start here, it's not that hard you just have to figure out the patterns to all of this." For the next hour, she broke everything down to Sam, in a way he could understand it, and she could tell the minute it clicked to him. His eyes lit up, and he was able to answer the problems without any help. "I think you got it Sam."_

 _Sam never thought he would ever understand this, but the way Mercedes was teaching it made him understand it. "MJ, I don't know how you did it, but you did! This is starting to make sense to me. You are definitely a genius, and I am so glad you are in my life." He was so excited he reached over and just pulled her in for a kiss. They kissed only for a few seconds, before he pulled away. "MJ...I-I'm so sorry, I just…" He was mortified, but not because he kissed her, but because he liked it._

 _Mercedes was shocked that Sam reacted that way, she never thought he would do that, especially with her. She had feelings for Sam, and she never hid them, but she figured she wasn't his type. She saw the girls he dealt with, and none of them were like her. She respected his choices, and was happy being his friend, but now here he was kissing her. Although she liked it, she knew it was him being excited he figured out his math situation, and she was the one that helped him. She shook her head, "It's okay Sam, I get that you're happy, it's no big deal. We're friends, I get it." With that she walked back to the other side of the table to resume her studying._

 _He was relieved that she didn't freak out or anything, and although they were just friends he didn't know if that kiss was just out of being happy. He couldn't lie and say he has never thought about her in a romantic way before, especially since he gets to see her when she walks around the house in her short shorts, and that ass is on full display. Also every time she showers, the entire house smells like cherry blossoms, and it drove him insane. All the little things about her, he was starting to notice, and liked about her. He needed to shake those thoughts away, and thankfully he had a midterm to study for and take his mind off of this._

 **END OF FLASHBACK**

He decided that he needed to get this off his chest, and finally man up and tell Mercedes how he was feeling about her. He knew how she felt about him, and she never hid it from him, but the timing was always off between them. Either he was dating someone, or she was dating someone, and the one thing they always did was respect each other's relationships. Now everything was right neither of them were dating anyone, and he was finally over Sasha, so there was no reason not to tell her how he felt about her. He decided to do something he never did, and that was take the day off from his two jobs, and spend the day preparing for telling Mercedes how he was feeling. He cooked her favorite thing he cooks, Chicken Alfredo and garlic cheesy bread. He decorated the apartment with candles and flowers, and made sure her favorite slow jams were playing in the background. He was dressed in a green button down shirt, a pair of dark jeans, and a pair of black converse sneakers. He was checking to make sure everything was perfect, when he heard the door open. He turned to see the shocked look on her face, and he smiled, "Welcome home MJ."

Mercedes was so tired from a long day of classes and tutoring, and all she wanted to do was go home, take a nice hot bath, and head to bed. When she walked in, she knew that was not going to happen. She looked around the room and saw all the candles and flowers, and was a lot confused. "Sam, what is all this?"

"This is me showing you how much I appreciate you." He walked over to her, and took her hand, leading her to the dining area, "I made dinner."

She smiled, "I see that, but why? I mean, not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm just a little stunned, and wonder what brought this on?" She took her seat at the table, smiling at the sight of all the food he made.

Sam sat down across from her, and started making their plates "Because I wanted to talk to you about something, and I wanted this to be a special night for the both of us."

Hearing him say that made her even more confused, but also a little giddy. She liked Sam, and more than friends, and he knew it, but they were only friends...right? She took a deep breath, "Okay, so what do you want to talk about?"

"I was hoping we could wait till after we eat."

"Sam, you know I am impatient, so just tell me."

He laughed, and shook his head, "Fine MJ, I'll tell you." He put the spoon back in the dish, and grabbed her hands, "MJ, you know that I am forever grateful to you for everything you have done for me. Being here with you have been amazing, and our friendship has grown so much."

Mercedes was trying to follow what he was trying to say but he was beating around the bush, and it was driving her crazy. "Sam….spit it out!"

He laughed again, "Alright, alright! I like you MJ, and not just as a friend but in a romantic way. Since we are both single right now, I feel like it's the best time for us to try and see if we are compatible in a romantic way."

She felt like her heart was going to fly out of her chest, this was something that she wanted for a long time, but something was always in the way, or better yet, someone. She knew she wanted this, but she didn't know he felt the same way. She had a million questions running through her head, but the one she had to know was, "Why now Sam? What changed?"

That wasn't the reaction Sam was looking for, but he knew to always expect the unexpected when it came to Mercedes Jones. He looked her square in the eye, "Because I finally opened my eyes, and saw what wa in front of me. You were the only one that was here for me at the lowest moments of my life and not only talked to me, but helped me through it. I see what a beautiful heart you have, as well as just being so damn beautiful." He smirked, and licked his lips. "I wanted to make sure that I was ready to fully give myself to you MJ, and now I feel like I can do that. I really like you MJ, I can't stop thinking about you."

This was everything Mercedes wanted to hear for a long time, and she surely didn't expect it tonight. Her head was spinning, so many emotions were going through her head at one time. She had to take a breath, and gather her thoughts. "Sam...this is...uh...wow. I didn't expect this at all. You know how I feel about you, and there is no way I would pass up a chance of being with you in a romantic capacity, but I just need to be sure that you're fully ready for that. I want to be with you, but I don't want to get my heartbroken, because you are not completely over Sasha." She'd seen the way he was after their breakup, and she did not ever want to be the rebound chick.

These were valid concerns, and Sam understood where she was coming from, but he was going to assure her that she had nothing to worry about. "MJ, I understand your concerns, and I promise you that I am completely over Sasha, and you are not a rebound." He got up, walked over to her, and kneeled before her, "I want to make this work between us, and I am giving you my word that I only want to be with you." He leaned up and planted a soft, sweet kiss on her lips, "This feels right MJ."

Mercedes smiled in the kiss, he really wanted to be with her, and that was all she wanted for a long time. "Okay Sam, we can try this, but on one condition."

"What's that?" He quirked his brow.

"No matter what happens between us, we remain friends." She looked him in the eyes, "We are friends first, so that's how we end...deal?"

Sam smiled brightly, this was why he liked her so much, her huge heart. He nodded his head, "Deal, now let's seal it with a kiss." He wiggled his eyebrow.

She laughed, and shook her head, "Smooth Sam, real smooth."

"What?" He tried to ask innocently, but then leaned in and kissed her.

She kissed him back, with all the passion and desire she felt for him. She only pulled away when she needed air, and sent him a warm smile. "That was nice…"

"Yes it was…" He smiled back at her.

"So how about we eat this delicious meal you made, and we can talk more about us." She gave him one last kiss before he took his seat, and they enjoyed the rest of their night. The rest is what they say is history.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

February 17, 2017

New York City

Mercedes and Sam were living in their penthouse apartment right in the middle of Manhattan. It didn't take long for them to move in together after Sam finally got transferred to the New York office of Majestic. It took six months for the transfer to actually go through, and Sam rented an apartment right up the street from Mercedes, but they were always in each other's apartment, it only made sense for them to get one together. So the first day Sam got the transfer, they started looking for an apartment. He was still on a mission to prove to Mercedes, that he was here for her and only her. Things were going good for the couple, and even when they had disagreements, they never went to bed angry. That was a motto they were not going to stray from, and so far so good. They had gotten into a routine, and became very domesticated, which Mercedes loved. It reminded her of their times back in Georgetown, when they would just sit and watch movies, talk about anything and everything, and just enjoy being together. She felt a huge wave of inspiration since she and Sam got together, and her sessions in the studio were magical, she couldn't wait to share her new music with Sam. She rushed home to find Sam wasn't there.

"Babe…" She sighed, "Oh well, I guess I'll go shower before he gets here." She made her way to the bedroom, and started to strip out of her clothes. She took a long shower, and relished in the hot water cascading over her body. She washed the day away, and when the water started cooling off, she got out and dried off. She walked into the bedroom and lotioned her body completely, and put on her favorite silk robe. She heard her stomach growl, "Guess I should go get something to eat." She made her way to the kitchen, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Sam standing in front of her decked out in a suit, that was made for his sexy body. "Baby, when did you get in?"

Sam came home not too long after Mercedes made it home, but he heard her just starting the shower, so he used that time to get thing ready for everything he had planned. When she came out, looking rejuvenated, and sexy as hell, he had to take a breath to calm himself down. "Hey baby, I got home not too long ago, but can you come here please.' He extended her hand to her, and smiled when she took it. "I need to talk to you babe."

She got nervous for a minute but she looked into his eyes, and saw there was nothing for her to be nervous about. All she saw was love and adoration in his eyes, so she was excited to hear what he had to say, "Okay, you got my attention."

"MJ, you know I love you so much and everything that I have done since I've been here in New York has been for you."

"I know baby…" She nodded, and wondered where he was going with this.

"I don't regret one day that I came here, and I wanted to show you that I am here for the long haul. Something big has happened today, and the first thing I wanted to do was come share it with you."

"Okay, what happened?" She was beyond curious now.

"I found out today that the movie deal I have for the video game, they want to turn it into a franchise, like a trilogy. We already have a script for the first one, and we signed a director to direct all three movies." He said so excited about this.

Mercedes squealed, and jumped into his arms, "Oh Sam, that's amazing! I'm so proud you baby!" She peppered him with kisses all over his face.

Sam held her in his arms tightly, "Thank you baby, I couldn't have done any of it without you." As much as he was enjoying affection she was giving him, he had to tell her something else. "Baby, I'm not done, I have more to tell you."

She pulled away, "Okay, what else?"

He sat her back down, "Like I was saying, I did all I did for you baby, and I am not done showing you that I am here for you." He grabbed her hand, and got down on one knee in front of her.

She gasped seeing him get on his knee, "Sam...baby…"

"MJ, I love you with all my heart and I made a huge mistake letting you get away from me all those years ago, but I am here to right those wrongs. Starting now…" He went in his pocket, and pulled out a black velvet box, "MJ, I became a happy man the moment you walked back in my life, and when I made the decision to come to New York, I made the best decision of my life. And now, since I am on a roll, I want to keep that momentum going." He opened the box to reveal a huge oval shape diamond ring, "MJ, would you make me the happiest man on the planet and agree to be my wife. I love you more than life itself, and my life would be complete if you were forever in it."

Tears were streaming down Mercedes face, she had dreamt of this moment for years, and finally here it is. The man she loved for so long has finally asked her to marry him. She opened her mouth, but nothing would come out, so all she could do was nod.

"Baby, is that a yes?" Sam asked nervously.

Finally she was able to squeak out one word, "Yes!" She wrapped her arm around his neck and hugged him as tight as she could.

"Yes! Yes!" Sam held her in his arms so tight, "I love you so much MJ, and I am going to make sure to make you proud to call me your husband." He slipped the ring on her finger.

"I'm already proud of you baby." She said through her tears, "I just want to be the best wife I can be." She took a moment to admire the ring on her finger. "It's beautiful baby."

"Thank you baby, but I have no doubt that you are going to be an amazing wife and mother to our children." Sam said with a huge smile on his face.

"Woah Sam, let's do this one thing at a time." She chuckled, "First we'll get married, and then we'll discuss children."

"Fair enough, but baby, I don't know about you, but I am not feeling a long engagement."

"Neither am I Sam, I want to be your wife as soon as possible."

The smile that came across his face was priceless, "I'm glad we agree then."

"Me too," She smiled, "but I have something I wanted to share with you too, but I was a bit sidetracked." She giggled.

"Oh okay, what did you have to tell me?"

"It's really something I wanted to show you."

"Does it involve you getting naked?" He wiggled his eyebrow.

"You perv…" She walked over to the stereo, "I actually wanted to let you hear my new song."

His eyes lit up, "Really? Wow, that's awesome, you know I love hearing you sing."

"Well I wanted you to hear it, because you inspired it." She winked at him, "Now have a seat, and listen." She started the music, and went to snuggle next to Sam.

 _You were meant for me_

 _No one else could come_

 _Between this love, I know_

 _'Cause I'll never let you go_

 _You and me it seems_

 _Never have a problem_

 _We can't overcome_

 _'Cause you'll always be the one_

Already Sam was in love with this song, because she was pouring out her soul, and it was about him. He loved this woman so much, and knowing she was going to be his wife, made the song even better.

 _Never thought I'd be so happy_

 _Loving you has made feel so fine_

 _I can see my friends turn green with envy_

 _Every time I tell them, I'm so glad you're mine_

 _You were meant for me_

 _No one else could come_

 _Between this love, I know_

 _'Cause I'll never let you go_

 _You and me it seems_

 _Never have a problem_

 _We can't overcome_

 _'Cause you'll always be the one, yeah_

 _Never did one thing to hurt me_

She looked at him and smiled, "Ever since you came to New York." She giggled.

 _You always understood my ways_

 _If I could, I'll stay right here beside you_

 _With your hand in mine, making love for days_

 _You were meant for me_

 _No one else could come_

 _Between this love, I know_

 _'Cause I'll never let you go, you were meant for me_

Once the song ended, all Sam could do was pull her in for a deep and passionate kiss. "You were meant for me too MJ, and I can't wait to marry you."

She moaned against the kiss, "I meant every word I said baby, you are meant for me, and I love you so much." She kissed him again, "The sooner we get married, the sooner we can start making those babies." She giggled and shot him a wink.

"You took the words right out my mouth, as a matter of fact, we could start tonight, just practicing of course." He smirked.

"Of course." She laughed and got up, and was about to head to the bedroom, but Sam stopped her.

"No, not yet baby." He walked back over to the stereo, and turned her song back on, "First, I want to dance with my fiancee." He extended his hand to her, and spun her into his arms when she accepted. "We got all night."

She shook her head, "No babe, we have a lifetime." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and they danced like that for a while, until they retired into the bedroom to celebrate their engagement.

 _You were meant for me_

 _No one else could come_

 _Between this love, I know_

 _'Cause I'll never let you go_

 _You and me it seems_

 _Never have a problem_

 _We can't overcome_

 _'Cause you'll always be the one_

They stuck to their word, they were married two months later, and their daughter Lisa Marie Evans was born one year later. Mercedes album went platinum and You Were Meant For Me won song of the year. Sam's first movie Legends of Zion was a box office smash, and was nominated for an Oscar. Everything was coming up roses for the Evans family, and a couple years later, they welcomed their son, Jaylen Samuel Evans.

 **A/N: So there you have it, now you know how they got started and how they ended up! I hope you guys liked it, and if so, let me know. If you didn't like it, then you can tell me that too, I'm a big girl, I can handle it. :)**


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